Tecmo Koei has released three videos demonstrating the gameplay of Deception IV: Blood Ties, coming to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. In each, a different person is killed by a complex set of traps chained together, including bear traps, wall spikes, an iron maiden and so much more.
What appears to be new in this installment is an increase in the number of traps you can implement at one time. In prior games, players were limited to one trap each of floor, wall and ceiling types. Here we see five traps being used at once, with three of them assigned to the 'X' button and selections made with L & R. You know what this means? Mad combos, that's what it means.
I want this badly. The Deception series is one of my all-time favorites and stands apart as a very different kind of game to play. You're constantly on the defensive, always running, but when you manage to get a group of traps set and an enemy walks right into your nefarious plans, it is sublime. I wish Tecmo would tell me when this is releasing in North America, because I am so ready to give them money for it.
As Dtoid's Game of the Year for 2013, The Last of Us is a title that hit all the right notes for players, and will likely go down as one of the most memorable games of the last generation. It was earnest, brutal, and uncompromising in its view of a world gone sideways. And now it seems that GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has taken a liking to it as well.
During the organization's roundup of the most intriguing characters for 2013, featuring personalities from works of fiction such as Orange is the New Black, Blue is the Warmest Color, and Orphan Black, the character of Bill from The Last of Us also made an appearance on the list. It's pretty surprising to see a videogame character make the cut, and the writers at GLAAD definitely had a lot to say about him.
"One of the characters the player encounters over the course of the game is Bill, an unstable loner in the town of Lincoln with a talent for fixing things. Through dialogue and backstory, the player learns that Bill once had a partner named Frank who he loved, but the plague drove them apart and led Frank to a bitter end. Both helpful and contentious, Bill is as deeply flawed but wholly unique a gay character found in any storytelling medium this year."
It's not too often you see gay characters in games portrayed in a modest and non-stereotypical way. One of the greatest strengths The Last of Us had was its storytelling and characterization, and much of it was very subtle.
The most intriguing new LGBT characters of 2013 [GLAAD]
Ackk Studios, creators of the Game Boy-influenced, color-themed RPG Two Brothers has revealed a few screens of their next game, currently codenamed Project Y2K. Details on the game remain scant, but a little Twitter digging revealed a few incidental details, such as influences like David O'Reilly (Her , Adventure Time , Eat My Sharts ), Takashi Marukami (Jellyfish Eyes , Superflat First Love), Killer7, EarthBound, and the "Hipster" stereotype. Seems like a dream come true, though I hope the game doesn't give hipsters too hard of a time. Out of all the fashion-obsessed groups in modern culture today, they seem to get the most flack, while sexy male models and the real housewives continue to get away relatively unscathed.
Right now the game is running on the PS4, though its likely coming to Wii U and PC as well. We've got Ackk Studios scheduled to appear on Sup Holmes on January 26th. Hopefully we can squeeze some information from them about this promising new game on that date.
Deadpool, a game that released on June 25, 2013, is no longer available for purchase on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, or Steam -- and it's not alone.
Other games presumably impacted by a licensing agreement with Marvel coming to a close include Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, X-Men: The Official Game, X-Men Destiny, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Game Informer has confirmed this list with Activision.
I'm unaware of what development on Deadpool was like behind the scenes at High Moon Studios and can only wager a guess knowing Activision served as publisher, but it's obvious the property wasn't given the budget and time frame it deserved. And now it's gone. Such a waste. As for the other titles, I'm bummed I never downloaded X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Deadpool And Other Marvel Games Disappear From Steam, Xbox Live, And PSN [Game Informer]
Happy new year!
I don't know about the rest of you, but despite last night's festivities, the first thing I did after waking up today was check out the new Steam deals. It's become a routine, for better or worse.
Daily deals:
I don't find this to be a very compelling group, but I do quite like the current set of flash sales: Legend of Grimrock ($2.99), Interstellar Marines ($5.09), Rayman Legends ($19.99), and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition ($7.49). Also, VVVVVV is down to $0.49 thanks to a community vote. Not owning the game at this point would just be odd. Sell some Steam trading cards, if you must. For those of you who have played it, how is Valdis Story? Looks neat!
Back in 2011, Re-Logic released Terraria , which gained massive popularity for its procedurally generated sandbox gameplay that had combat and objectives for those wanting more than just a place to go and dig.
It was a surprise hit for me, and I ended up spending hundreds of hours with it. Eventually, life happened and Terraria's creator Andrew "Redigit" Spinks announced that it would not be updated any more, but also that artist Finn "Tiy" Brice had moved on to form Chucklefish, whose first project would be what many consider to be a spiritual successor to Re-Logic's title, but set in space. Starbound was born.
Fans backed the project fervently, with its homegrown crowdfunding campaign topping a million dollars in under a month. Currently, they have sold over 180,000 pre-orders, taking in more than $3.7 million in support of the project. Starbound is an indie sensation, but while it does strive to be seen as its own entity, it will always be compared to its predecessor.
For the most part, comparisons between Terraria and Starbound are apt, and they provide a good starting point for discussion, but in the end Starbound is much more than just "Terraria in space."
Sega has been teasing the return of Ryo Hazuki recently -- a character previously absent from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed . At this time I can confirm that he will indeed be returning to the franchise, but for right now, only in the iOS and Android versions of the game -- which launches tomorrow.
Ryo uses a classic Sega arcade cabinet as his ride, with references to Out Run, Space Harrier, and Hang-On, depending on what surface it's on. In order to unlock him, you have to complete a full streak of weekly challenges -- a mobile-centric feature that allows you to enter certain race types on a time limit.
Stay tuned for our full thoughts on the mobile version of the game.
While Kan Geo is still had at work with his follow-up to To the Moon , A Bird Story , you can grab a free episode for the former right now. It's a small consolation for the delay of his new work, and it's basically a gaiden that references the original game.
If you haven't played To the Moon yet, consider it. It's a wonderful, heartwarming little experience that's incredibly easy to digest -- especially over a holiday.
To the Moon [Steam via Joystiq]
